Special equipment: parchment paper cut into a 10-inch round and a 32- by 5-inch strip; a 10-inch (26-cm) springform pan

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Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter bottom and side of springform pan. Line bottom with round of parchment and butter round. Butter 1 side of parchment strip and fit unbuttered side of strip against buttered side of pan. (Strip will extend 2 inches above rim of pan.)

Beat together cream cheese, butter, 3/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, zest, juice, vanilla, orange-flower water, and almond extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes in a standing mixer or 3 minutes with a handheld. Add cornstarch and mix at low speed until just combined.

Beat egg whites in another large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until whites just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and continue beating until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks, about 2 minutes in standing mixer or 3 minutes with handheld.

Fold one fourth of whites into cream cheese mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Line outside of springform pan with foil (covering bottom and about 1 inch up side) to waterproof. Pour batter into pan and gently smooth top. Bake in a hot water bath in middle of oven until top is golden but cake trembles slightly when pan is shaken gently, 55 to 65 minutes. (Cheesecake will rise in oven, but then will fall slightly and set as it cools.) Transfer springform pan to a rack to cool completely, then chill, loosely covered, at least 8 hours.

Available at some supermarkets and Kalustyan's (800-352-3451).

Cooks' notes:

• Cheesecake can be chilled, covered, up to 3 days.
• Cut cake with dental floss or a long, thin sharp knife dipped into a tall glass of hot water.

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Recent Reviews

Served this and the Chestnut Cheesecake at the same party. Although I loved them both, this cheesecake was almost gone at the end of the party and the chestnut one had more than half leftover. Didn't reduce the sugar as other reviewers suggested because I like to try it as it was written first but I think I will try less sugar next time.

snoogerbot from Vancouver WA /

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I didn't love it and prob won't make it again. It was just OK. I prefer Strawberry-Topped Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust
Bon Appétit | January 1998

toocreative1 /

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This recipe is complete trash. On removing the springform after cooling, the cake oozed out from under the crusty top.
Do yourself a favor and find a cheesecake recipe that has proper bake times. Most other recipes call for reducing the oven temp and cooling the cake in the oven as it cools. Unfortunately, I don't have my usual cookbook and I should have taken the fact that this recipe lacks those directions as a warning.
Yum, cheesecake pudding for Christmas...

A Cook from Pittsburgh, PA /

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This is my new "go-to" cheesecake recipe! I made it for a dinner party last night and got rave reviews. It makes such a tall cheesecake which makes for a wonderful presentation. The texture was described as a "cheesecake mousse". Very good!

nltaber /

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Best cheesecake ever, but agreed on decreasing the sugar to 1 cup. Nice and creamy, light texture. Not dense and crumbly like some that I've had. Even better is when you make this with the pecan crust for the "Banana's Foster Cheesecake."